How do you say "Excuse me." in Japanese?

"Excuse me." in Japanese is "すみません。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘Excuse me.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "すみません。" mean in English?

"すみません。" means "Excuse me." in English. Usage tip: [すみません] is the万能 (all-purpose) opener: “Excuse me,” “Sorry,” or “Thanks (for the trouble).” Safer than sounding too direct.

すみません。

sumi mase n

[soo-mee mah-seh n]

💬 Usage Tip: [すみません] is the万能 (all-purpose) opener: “Excuse me,” “Sorry,” or “Thanks (for the trouble).” Safer than sounding too direct.

🇯🇵 In Japan: When addressing neighbors, start with [すみません] + a small bow—softening the mood is important in Japan.

Phrase Breakdown

すみ

sumi

[soo-mee]

excuse me; I'm sorry

A polite opener to get someone’s attention or to apologize lightly before making a request (useful when speaking to neighbors).

Example

すみません、夜は音楽の音を少し下げていただけますか。

Excuse me, could you turn the music down a little at night?

ませ

mase

[mah-seh]

(part of) polite negative / polite phrasing

This is part of 「すみません」. It helps make the phrase polite; you don’t use 「ませ」 by itself in normal speech.

Example

すみません、もう少し静かにしていただけますか。

Excuse me, could you be a little quieter?

ん

[n]

(part of) ん = contracted ない/ぬ sound; here completes the set phrase

Here 「ん」 completes 「すみません」. It’s not a standalone word in this use; it’s part of the fixed polite expression.

Example

すみません、今は夜なので音楽を小さくできますか。

Excuse me, since it’s night now, can you make the music quieter?

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